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I am struggling to find a storage option for my Copic refills. I want to be able to put them in numerical order by color family, if possible. It seems like any container I put them in has them all falling down and becoming a huge mess. How do you store the refills?
__________________ Linda E
Caution: You are entering an artistic zone. This is not clutter - this is creating. These are not pajamas - it's my work uniform.
I too use the Copic refill case like Sue just bought and I have 4 or 5 of them in a wire basket that sits on my shelf. I also use the similar cases for my sketch markers and keep them in one of the colorful boxes with a flip lid that you can get at Mikes or Joanne's or Tuesday Morning. I have some cases that hold 24 and some 48 and I arrange them all in the box. I took measurements of the cases arranged and found a box that is within a half inch. There are so many different sizes of boxes, but you just have to look a bit. Same for the wire basket for the refill cases.
But the Container Store's accessories box fits the refills perfectly, and are a lot cheaper. I should have just stuck with those.
Yes, for $1.79 aren't they great - and not hinged. (I'm anti-hinges unless a tiny box.) Grouping them loosely by color family - ROYGBIV - works for me since they're only used once in a blue moon. Some are banded together with thinner Plasti-Bands (thinner than rubber bands).
I have a tendency to over organize, so remind myself shuffling through a box for something occasionally is fine - and even fun. But the line between under- and over-organizing is different for everyone.
I wouldn't want separate slots since I'd have to move them to accommodate new ones, though leaving spaces between colors could work.
How many refills fit in the Container store box? Do they stand up in the box? I am having a hard time imagining how big this box is and how this stores the refills.TIA
How many refills fit in the Container store box? Do they stand up in the box? I am having a hard time imagining how big this box is and how this stores the refills.TIA
Did you see the measurements and photos on The Container Store site? Markers are shown in a photo. I think of it as about half and then some of their woman's shoe box. (Sometimes I use a tape measure on a table to imagine size, putting objects at the ends, if that makes sense.)
The refills lay flat. The box is 7-1/2 x 6-1/2 x 3-5/8 high. imagine it as roughly half of their woman's shoe box, but it's actually larger.
Their woman's shoebox would hold more, with a chipboard divider in the center if wanted. But while I don't care about precise placement of refills, others do, so this storage wouldn't appeal to some. I use labeled Container Store boxes of many sizes for some office/home/garage storage. You can see various sizes in one of the photos in the link below.
I'll try to count how many Copics fit in an accessory box later. If I grew out of it I'd just use another box, separating ROYG from BIV+ neutrals. But I'm never going to have a giant collection.
Thank you for all of the information. I've been trying to find something where the refills will stand upright. I know in my head that they won't spill but also do worry about it, too. Yesterday I spent more time than I care to admit cleaning the dried, spilled, TH alcohol ink off of the small drawers that I stored them in. I moved my inks into the new tin and was surprised to see some of them had leaked without my knowledge. It was a painful reminder to be sure the caps are on tight!
You should get what eases your mind and works for you. : ) That said, my Copics teacher who's been teaching for 20 years (?), has hers lying flat in bins. And maybe keep in mind that Copics are made to be stored flat (though vertical is okay), but liquids in little bottles are not. I also have Tim alcohol tins for my alcohol inks and other little bottles, and love them.
BTW, on their revamped website, Copics seems to have recently changed their advice a bit about storage:
"How the Copic markers should be stored? Flat or vertical?Basically it would make no big difference whether you store your markers either upright or on their side as long as the ink is nearly-filled, but we recommend you to keep Copic flat. In our pre-made sets, markers are placed with the “Super Brush” nib side up."
There�s a store on Etsy called TJandThings who sells perfectly shaped inserts for. Optic refills and markets. You choose the container of choice and the put the insert inside. Each opening holds the refill/marker safely upright.
I store these ink refills in a translucent plastic case. Instead of purchasing a brand new marker, refilling it is more cost-effective and time-saving.
I bought this box from Michaels online. It folds flat and is great for my refills but I think its discontinued. I put matboard dividers in it to separate the rows.
Copic Refill Storage
